Jade & The Beanstalk 2026

Over 1,600 audience members, eight performances and powerful conversations about grief, emotions and mental wellbeing.

In October 2026, Streetz Ahead proudly brought its professional hip-hop theatre production, Jade & The Beanstalk, to the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham. Across eight performances from 14–16 October, the production reached over 1,600 audience members, including schoolchildren, families, teachers and arts professionals.

Combining powerful storytelling, hip-hop dance, rap and music, Jade & The Beanstalk offered much more than a theatre experience. It created a space for children and adults to explore difficult emotions, reflect on their own experiences and discover how creativity can support mental health and wellbeing.

 

A Story of Grief, Hope and Resilience

Jade & The Beanstalk follows Jade, a young girl learning to navigate life following the loss of her mother. With the support of her dad and her extraordinary imagination, Jade creates a world of stories and adventures that help her explore, understand and process her emotions.

Through its unique blend of dance, rap, music and theatre, the production approaches sensitive subjects such as grief, loss, family relationships and emotional wellbeing in a way that is both engaging and accessible to young audiences.

The show also celebrates the importance of supportive relationships, resilience and belonging, reminding children that difficult feelings are a natural part of life and that they do not have to face them alone.

As one audience member reflected:

“It’s important to talk about your feelings and it’s okay to sit with them and feel them – not always a solution or ‘fix it’.”

Another shared:

“It captured how pain, grief, joy and playfulness can coexist.”

Breaking Down Barriers to Professional Theatre

At Streetz Ahead, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience high-quality live theatre, regardless of their background or financial circumstances.

For many children attending Jade & The Beanstalk, this was their first experience of professional theatre.

Our impact findings revealed that over half of the children attending had never been to the theatre before.

Access to the arts remains unequal, with financial barriers preventing many schools and families from experiencing live performances. In fact, 100% of surveyed schools identified cost as the main barrier to organising theatre trips.

By bringing professional productions to local communities and making them accessible to schools, Streetz Ahead is helping to remove these barriers and ensure that more children can experience the creativity, inspiration and emotional connection that theatre provides.

The demand for these opportunities is clear, with 100% of surveyed schools expressing a willingness to attend another funded production with workshops.

The Impact of Jade & The Beanstalk in Numbers

The feedback collected following the performances demonstrates the significant impact of the production on audiences of all ages.

• 1,600+ audience members reached across eight performances.
• 93% rated the production Good, Very Good or Excellent.
• 100% of surveyed audience members said they would recommend the production.
• 74% said the production definitely or possibly encouraged conversations about grief, emotions and mental wellbeing.
• 72% reported a change in how they viewed the role of dance and theatre in supporting emotional wellbeing.
• Over half of the children attending had never experienced theatre before.
• 100% of surveyed schools said cost was the main barrier to organising theatre trips.
• 100% of surveyed schools were willing to attend a future funded production with workshops.

These findings reinforce the value of creative experiences in helping young people understand emotions, develop empathy and engage with subjects that can sometimes be difficult to discuss.

Using Dance and Storytelling to Explore Mental Wellbeing

One of the most powerful outcomes of Jade & The Beanstalk was the way it encouraged conversations about grief, loss and emotional wellbeing.

Audience feedback highlighted how the production made complex subjects more approachable through movement, music and storytelling.

For children who may find it difficult to express themselves verbally, dance and theatre can offer alternative ways to understand and communicate emotions.

As one teacher explained:

“Key themes can be explored without dialogue and through the use of rap, dance and music.”

Another audience member commented:

“Dance allows children to follow a story without the demands of keeping up with the words.”

The production also demonstrated the importance of representation, allowing children to recognise their own experiences and family relationships on stage.

One child shared:

“My favourite part was Jade realising she could count on her dad.”

A member of school staff reflected:

“It’s important our children hear stories that reflect their experiences.”

These responses show how creative storytelling can help young audiences feel seen, understood and supported while encouraging meaningful conversations beyond the theatre.

Celebrated by Audiences, Arts Professionals and Community Leaders

Jade & The Beanstalk received exceptional feedback from children, families, educators, arts organisations and public figures.

Chantal Spiteri, Joint Executive Director of ZooNation, described the show as:

“Genuinely genuinely impressed. An Epic Feat!”

Joanne McCartney, Deputy Mayor for Children and Families, praised the sensitive approach to the production’s themes:

“Grief is very personal, so the way that the production approached it allowed people and children especially to come to it in their own particular way and to understand it without it being overwhelming.”

David Lammy MP, Member of Parliament for Tottenham, shared:

“This has made me realise that I need to see more of this kind of dance.”

Paul Reid, CEO of Bernie Grant Arts Centre, described the production as:

“An exceptional production, not only for its outstanding production value but also for the sensitive, imaginative and accessible way it tackles some very challenging issues for a young audience.”

The feedback reflects the artistic quality of the production and its ability to connect with audiences through meaningful, relevant storytelling.

 

More Than a Performance: Creating Lasting Conversations

The impact of Jade & The Beanstalk extends beyond the stage.

For many children, the performance provided an opportunity to engage with subjects they may not previously have explored, while giving teachers and families a starting point for important discussions about emotions, relationships and mental wellbeing.

The production demonstrated how dance and theatre can bring people together, challenge perceptions and create shared experiences that stay with audiences long after the final curtain.

With 74% of respondents indicating that the show definitely or possibly encouraged conversations about grief, emotions and mental wellbeing, the findings highlight the potential of the performing arts to support emotional understanding and wellbeing.

One audience member captured the experience beautifully:

“The themes were beautifully appropriate for children to access, but so moving as an adult, I was teary, I was laughing – it was just so joyful.”